Lazare Mpouel Bala yesterday at a press conference clarified the public about the recent repatriation of some Cameroonians from Equatorial Guinea. «The situation of Cameroonians in Equatorial Guinea is quite peaceful as of now, there are no more Cameroonians waiting in the Consulate in Bata nor in the Embassy in Malabo», Lazare
Mpouel Bala said during a press conference in Yaounde yesterday, June 11. He further added, «This means that those who wanted to come back to Cameroon voluntarily have done so while those who decided to stay there have gone back to their jobs». Repatriation The press conference was to clarify the public on the situation of Cameroonians living in Equatorial Guinea. Many Cameroonians have in the past years been repatriated from the country somehow straining relations. Lazare Mpouel Bala explained that on May 12, 2009, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Equatorial Guinea invited all the heads of the diplomatic missions in the country to help the government in the voluntary repatriation of people without the regular resident documents. He said with the announcement and another message of massive arrests, 928 Cameroonians without the normal resident documents registered in the Consulate in Bata for voluntary repatriation. Only 309 of them actually came back to Cameroon mostly using their own means and the remaining ones went back to where they were. Cameroonians who voluntarily came back home were escorted to the border by the police and some workers of the Consulate. Some of them left with their property. The voluntary repatriation concerns only Cameroonians who do not have regular resident papers. Mr Mpouel Bala classified Cameroonians living in Equatorial Guinea into those who have their resident papers, those working in diplomatic and international organisations and many job seekers who illegally enter the country through the bushes and sea and their stay is not regular. Those with regular resident documents and the ones working with international organisations, he said, have no problem. « Cameroonians with regular resident papers and those with diplomatic status joined us to celebrate the country??s national day on May 20 both in Bata and Malabo», the Ambassador said. Intervention of Embassy Answering questions on what the Embassy was doing to rescue Cameroonians, Mr Mpouel Bala stated that he has reached an agreement with the authorities of Equatorial Guinea that files Cameroonians submit either at the Embassy or Consulate seeking for resident papers should be registered and necessary documents delivered to them. He disclosed that at the Embassy in Malabo, diplomats have come up with an organised structure that helps people obtain resident and other papers to regularise their stay. The Embassy, he further said, was not only helping Cameroonians renew and obtain their resident papers but was also helping others in difficulties. Future assurance «At the summit, there is a political will to harmonise issues and that will be expressed in the days ahead in the agreements that Cameroon will negotiate and re-negotiate others within the framework of the Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea Mixed Commission on bilateral cooperation, Mr Mpouel Bala said. The Mixed Commission session will take place in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea from 22-25 June 2009. Cameroonians at home he said, «should think of Equatorial Guinea as a country that needs technical, economic and other assistance but also as a country that needs to ascertain its basis». The Consul at the Cameroon Consulate in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, Justin-Joel Abessolo was also present at the press conference in the Ministry of External Relations.
Emmanuel KENDEMEH, Cameroun Tribune
